Rotating missile launching shoe



July 20, 1965 J. B. TOOMEY, JR 3,195,406

ROTATING MISSILE LAUNCHING SHOE Filed Oct. 23, 1962 INVENTOR JOHN B. TOOMEY JR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,195,406 RGTATING MISSILE LAUNCHING SHOE John B. Tourney, Jr., Alexandria, Va., assignor to Value Engineering Company, Alexandria, Va. Filed (Jet. 23, 1962, Ser. N0. 232,480 4 Claims. (Cl. 891.7)

The present invention relates to guided tactical missiles and, more particularly, to improvements in missile launching shoes which engage the launcher rails during the missile launching. The shoes support the missile on the launcher and guide the same along the rails until the missile becomes airborne. Launching shoes generally are welded or bolted on the missile frame. As the velocity of the missile increases, the drag of the launching shoes reduce the missile optimum velocity.

Attempts have been made to overcome this shoe drag by separation of the shoes from the missile immediately upon launching of the missile. Explosive bolts have been used for this purpose. Such a shoe separation provision, however, has not been generally adopted because of the difficulty encountered in that the separated shoe often engages and causes damage to the steering fins of the missile. Retractable launching shoes also have been proposed and which are designed to eliminate the shoe drag, the shoes fbeing retracted into the missile immediately after launching of the missile. The disadvantages of such retractable shoes, however, are that they require precision machinery of the parts, and the shoe retraction mechanism takes up considerable space inside the missile. Further, because of the complexity of such shoe retractable mechanism its operation under missile firing conditions is unreliable.

The present invention provides a launching shoe of simplified construction and which utilizes the air pressure created by the velocity of the missile to rotate the shoes to a non-drag position.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a missile with launching shoes which are rotated by air pressure whereby the shoe is pivoted from the launching position into the missile.

It is another object of this invention to provide a missile with launching shoes which are selflaligning with the launcher rails.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a smooth non-air drag surface on the missile at the shoe locations after launching and rotation of the shoe into the missile.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a View in perspective illustrating a missile equipped with rotatable launching shoes constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View in perspective of a launching shoe installed in a missile frame, the latter being shown partly broken away and in section, the launching shoe being illustrated in launching position;

FIGURE 3 is a similar detail perspective view as in FIGURE 2, and showing the launching shoe in closed or missile flight position;

FIGURE 4 is a schematic view of a launching shoe on reduced scale and illustrating the pivoting about of the shoe under the force acting thereon as indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a like view as in FIGURE 4 and showing a launching shoe rotated to its post launching position; and

FIGURE 6 is a schematic view illustrating the construction of the launching shoe which permits the shoe to self align with the launching rail.

3,195,465 Patented July 20, 1965 ice Referring to the drawings in FIGURE 1 there is shown a tactical missile 10 equipped with rotatable launching shoes 12 and'13 which are constructed in accordance with this invention. The rotatable launching shoes comprise a launcher rail engaging portion 14 which is raised above the plane surface of the missile and is acted upon by air drag pressure during launching of the missile. The shoe surface diametrically opposite to the rail engaging portion comprises a smooth, even surface which upon rotation of the shoe to a post launching position presents a non-air drag shoe surface. This uppermost shoe portion is contoured to match the surface of the missile and form an uninterrupted continuation thereof.

Each of the launching shoes is provided with an integral base of like construction and which is pivotably mounted in the missile frame. The construction and operation of the aft launching shoe 13 is similar to that of the forward shoe 12 and is not illustrated in detail.

Launching shoe 12 is constructed, as illustrated in FIG- URES 2 and 3, and comprises an integral base 15 which is rotatably mounted on a pivot shaft 16 suitably supported in the missile frame 18. A sleeve bearing 19 is provided for the shaft 16 to reduce friction. The integral base 15 of the launching shoe consists of a hollow, lightweight structure as shown. To permit the shoe and base structure to .pivot freely about the shaft .16, the structural weight of the shoe on integral base portion is balanced on the shaft 16. As shown, the shoe is rectangular shaped and is constructed to comprise the diametrically disposed radial surface 21 and 22 which are equidistant, as by a radius R, from the center of the pivot shaft 16. An opening 24 is provided in the missile frame 18 for accommodating the shoe, the length of the opening being approximately twice the length of R whereby the shoe may rotate or pivot about the shaft 16 and fit snugly in the opening 24.

A smooth, air-friction drag free surface is thus presented by the launching shoe when it is pivoted to a post launching position and such as shown in FIGURE 3. To achieve this, the shoe base 15 comprises a lower or bottom radial surface portion 26 which approximates the same dimension as the opening 24 and snugly fits therein when the launching shoe is rotated to its post launching position. The curvature of the radial bottom surface 26 conforms with and matches the contour of the outer adjacent su-rrounding surface of the missile frame as illustrated in FIGURE 3. To provide a freely rotatable shoe, the dimension L as depicted in FIGURE 4, and defining the distance from the center of the pivot shaft 16 to the ouside surface of the missile, is made equal to L which reperese-nts the distance from the shaft to the bottom surface of the shoe. Arrows F in FIGURES 4 and 5 indicate the air drag force acting on the launching shoe during firing of the missile and which tends to cause the shoe to rotate about the pivot shaft 16 from the position shown in FIGURE 2 to that depicted in FIGURE 3.

To hold the launching shoe firmly in place during handling and launching of the missile, or until the missile shoe is positioned on the launcher rail, an explosive bolt 30 is provided, the same suitably inserted through the frame 18. Preferably the bolt is threaded into the radial subsurface portion 31 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. A battery or other suitable source of electricity is connected to the explosive change of the bolt for firing the same prior to or during launching operation.

Self alignment of the shoe with the launcher rail, such as indicated schematically at 36 in FIGURE 6, is obtained by providing a clearance 38 for the explosive bolt 30. This construction allows the shoe to seek and shift into alignment with the launcher rail by rotation of the same about its pivot shaft 16.

In operation, the launching shoe is held firmly in launching position, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, by the explosive bolt during handling of the missile and while it is rammed from the magazine to the launcher track. After the missile is properly positioned on the launcher rail, the explosive bolt may be fired either just prior to launch or immediately thereafter. Upon launching of the missile air drag pressure will be exerted on the forward surface of the launching shoe as indicated by the arrow F in FIGURE 4. This a-ir drag force causes the shoe to rotate in the direction of the arrows about the pivot shaft 16 and take the position shown in FIGURES 3 and 5. The bottom surface 26 of the shoe fits snugly in the opening provided for the shoe and presents a smooth continuous surface which eliminates air drag, and such as encountered heretofore by the presently used shoes.

It will be understood that changes and substitutions may be made to suit varying conditions in the use of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a guided missile, a missile frame having an opening in the outer surface thereof, a launching shoe rotatably mounted Within said frame opening on an axis extending transversely of said missile, said launching shoe having a launcher rail portion extending above the outer surface of the missile so as to be acted upon by air drag pressure during launching of the missile, said launching shoe having a smooth shoe surface opposite said rail launcher portion conforming to the outer surface of the missile surrounding said opening so that upon rotation of sai launching shoe after launching the shoe surface presents a non-air drag smooth surface, an explosive bolt attached to said launching shoe and extending outwardly therefrom, there being an opening in said missile frame for receiving said explosive bolt, said opening being slightly larger than said explosive bolt to provide limited pivotal movement of said launching shoe whereby said launching shoe is self-aligned with the launcher rail for the missile.

2. In a guided missile, a missile frame having an opening in the outer surface thereof, a launching shoe rotatably mounted within said frame opening on an axis extending transversely of said missile, said launching shoe comprising a base having opposed sides with the axis of rotation being between said opposed sides, a launcher rail portion on one of said sides and extending above the outer surface of the missile so as to be acted upon by air drag pressure during launching of the missile, the other of said sides having a smooth shoe surface conforming to the outer surface of the missile surrounding said frame opening so that upon rotation of said launching shoe after launching of the missile the shoe surface presents a non-air drag smooth surface substantially closing said frame opening.

3. In a guided missile, a missile frame having an opening in the outer surface thereof, a launching shoe rotatably mounted within said frame opening on an axis extending transversely of said missile, said launching shoe comprising a base having opposed sides with the axis of rotation being between said opposed sides, said base further havingopposed radial end surfaces interconnecting said sides and on both sides of said axis of rotation, said base being so shaped so as to be snugly received within said frame opening, a launcher rail portion on one of said sides and extending above the outer surface of the missile so as to be acted upon by air drag pressure during launching of the missile, the other of said sides having a smooth shoe surface conforming to the outer surface of the missile surrounding said frame opening so that upon rotation of said launching shoe after launching of the missile the shoe surface presents a non-air drag smooth surface substantially closing said frame opening.

4. In a guided missile, a missile frame having an opening in the outer surface thereof, a launching shoe rotatably mounted within said frame opening on an axis extending transversely of said missile, said launching shoe comprising a base having opposed sides with the axis of rotation being between said opposed sides, a launcher rail portion one one of said sides and extending above the outer surface of the missile so as to be acted upon by air drag pressure during launching of the missile, the other of said sides having a smooth shoe surface conforming to the outer surface of the missile surrounding said frame opening so that upon rotation of said launching shoe after launching of the missile the shoe surface presents a non-air drag smooth surface substantially closing said frame opening, and selectively detachable means interconnecting said launching shoe and said missile frame for limiting the pivotal movement of said launching shoe whereby said launching shoe is self aligned with the launcher rail or the missile.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,591,834 4/52 Kuka 89-1.7 2,731,885 1/56 Nolan M 891.7 2,815,698 1 2/57 Burrows 89l 2,852,981 9/58 Caya 89-15 2,949,060 8/60 Gantschnigg et a1. 891.5 2,968,222 1/61 Meier 89l.7 3,063,375 11/62 Hawley et al. 10250 3,115,059 12/63 M-oul 89-1.7

BENJAMIN A. BQRCHELT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, ARTHUR M. HORTON,

Examiners. 

1. IN A GUIDED MISSILE, A MISSILE FRAME HAVING AN OPENING IN THE OUTER SURFACE THEREOF, A LAUNCHING SHOE ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID FRAME OPENING ON AN AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID MISSILE, SAID LAUNCHING SHOE HAVING A LAUNCHER RAIL PORTION EXTENDING ABOVE THE OUTR SURFACE OF THE MISSILE SO AS TO BE ACTED UPON BY AIR DRAG PRESSURE DURING LAUNCHING OF THE MISSILE, SAID LAUNCHING SHOE HAVING A SMOOTH SHOE SURFACE OPPOSITE SAID RAIL LAUNCHER PORTION CONFORMING TO THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE MISSILE SURROUNDING SAID OPENING SO THAT UPON ROTATION OF SAID LAUNCHING SHOE AFTER LAUNCHING THE SHOE SURFACE PRESENTS A NON-AIR DRAG SMOOTH SURFACE, AN EXPLOSIVE BOLT ATTACHED TO SAID LAUNCHING SHOE AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, THERE BEING AN OPENING IN SAID MISSILE FRAME FOR RECEIVING SAID EXPLOSIVE BOLT, SAID OPENING BEING SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN SAID EXPLOSIVE BOLT TO PROVIDE LIMITED PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LAUNCHING SHOE WHEREBY SAID LAUNCHING SHOE IS SELF-ALIGNED WITH THE LAUNCHER RAIL FOR THE MISSILE. 